Silex Media Integrates Final Cut Pro at SWR in Germany

AtomFactory facilitates the first TV series production in HD at Southwest German public broadcaster

Munich, August 19, 2008 – Southwest Broadcasting (SWR), an affiliate of Germany’s ARD group of public broadcasters, is transitioning completely to HD production with its successful family series “The Fallers.” The solution provider Silex Media was responsible for the project realization and supported SWR in integrating AtomFactory, DigaPorter and Hydrogen Archive Catalyst – all software applications provided by DAVID Systems.

As a pilot project, public broadcaster SWR now produces its successful TV series “The Fallers” in HD. The series is a production of SWR in Baden-Baden produced completely in-house. SWR uses Apple’s Final Cut Pro (FCP) for production and post-production of the footage. The integration of the editors into the playout and archive environments of SWR is realized by AtomFactory, a Silex Media application now in DAVID Systems’ product portfolio. The universal production format in the Apple Xsan environment is QuickTime XDCAM HD422. AtomFactory wraps the rendered clip together with audio tracks and metadata in an MXF container which is handed over to the archive system. The transfer software DigaPorter moves the MXF files from an import folder into the respective directories, creates the database entries and generates a low-res copy for faster research. If material from the archive is needed for production again, AtomFactory generates a QuickTime movie which can be edited already while still being ingested.

Hydrogen Archive Catalyst (HAC) manages the access to archived material. HAC supports partial file retrieve which means that only that part of a clip really needed to be processed is transmitted, thus using the tape library much more efficiently as well as accelerating the workflow and reducing network load. Research and selection of the scene which is needed is done within the low-res copy through DigaClipPlayer. HAC translates the selection into a query and transmits the selected scenes as high-res material.

“We are proud to support SWR in implementing a full HD workflow solution”, said Stephan Schindler, CEO of Silex Media. “This is a typical example for our production management solution portfolio which results in customer specific workflows being implemented with best-of-breed IT technology. The single vendor approach brings down costs and risk.”

Final Cut Pro and QuickTime are trademarks of Apple, Inc. – all rights reserved


About Silex Media:
Silex Media concentrates on delivering IT-based solutions, integration and workflow products services to broadcasters and professional media companies that wish to efficiently move from traditional tape based environments to digital workflows or to transition from a radio television market to an internet telecommunication position. Silex Media has offices in the United States and throughout Europe and is 100% backed by SGI Japan whose investors include NEC, SGI, Sony and Canon Marketing of Japan. The company website is www.silexmedia.com .

All trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.


For more information, please contact:
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Winfred van Kuijk
Ridlerstraße 31
80339 Munich
winfred@silexmedia.com
Office: +31 33 4555532
Mobile: +31 6 22243711


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